I Went Down a Lead-Testing Rabbit Hole. Here’s What You Need to Know About Home Tests.


Noorduin—who takes a spray test with him when he’s walking his dog so he can test surfaces around him—said he has detected lead on crystal glasses, PVC pipes, the leaves of plants near construction sites, electronic cables, window frames, plastic power-tool handles, vintage dishes, vintage metalware, and rubber workout equipment.

If you’re curious and want to take the additional step of testing what you already own at home, prepare to have your heart broken at least once. In my case, it was a cream-colored ceramic mug that was the perfect size for cappuccinos. In yours, it may be a cup or plate you’ve had since childhood and hoped to pass onto your own kids.

The EPA notes that lead may be found in some painted toys, furniture, and jewelry, as well as some cosmetics, drinkware and foodware, and plumbing, and the CDC notes that products made in countries outside the United States may contain lead. (Luckily, while cheap drinkware and ceramics can contain lead, you probably don’t need to sweat new stuff from Ikea, which banned lead in its products in 2010.)

Some examples of household items that may contain lead

  • mugs and glassware with any kind of design or lettering, especially if it’s raised
  • vintage items that are painted
  • colorful dishware, new or old
  • brass items
  • paint, paint chips, paint dust, window frames, and window sashes, especially in older homes or apartments
  • appliance cables
  • rubber grips on power tools

If a test detects lead in an object, keep the item out of reach of children, consider throwing it out, and immediately stop using it to eat or drink from.

If your child may have been exposed, quarantine the object in case further testing is needed, and speak with a pediatrician about next steps.

It’s also important to have a health provider routinely screen your kids for lead (some states, like New York, require lead testing for young children, when they are most vulnerable to serious developmental impacts).

If you find lead in surfaces or dust in your home, such as in paint or on a windowsill, don’t try to remove the source yourself. Instead, call your local government’s health department, or reach out to a lead-mitigation professional.

For any dishes or glasses that test negative, be sure to thoroughly wash off the testing liquid before using them to eat or drink from.

Thanks to the lead regulations of the past half-century, I detected no lead on almost all of the objects I tested. But that isn’t the case everywhere around the world, or even around the US. And that’s why this testing technology is potentially empowering: The better our ability to quickly and easily test for lead in our homes, the closer we are to eliminating the risk.

This article was edited by Katie Okamoto and Catherine Kast.



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